Which side is TOP on?
The Opportunity Party which has a suite of progressive policies thinks that it can work with National, even though National’s priorities should be an anathema to it.
elections
election 2026
Labour’s list
Labour’s recently announced list contains a number of new impressive candidates and is clear evidence that the party is being rejuvinated.
Walking backwards off the cliff
The coming oil shock is not just about oil. The future is baked in, and its not good. National’s backward-looking budget will make it much worse.
National Is Destroying Wellington
Wellington is being deliberately targeted by National and it is destroying the third largest region of New Zealand.
Does the centre left need Te Pāti Māori to win the election?
Does the centre left need Te Pāti Māori to win the election?
Who’s best on Foreign Affairs?
When Ambassador Chen Mingming sent Zhang Wei in 2005 to ask me whether Winston Peters would follow government policy, I said I didn’t know but would ask. I did, and he did.
As stable as a three legged stool?
The Peters-Willis-Jones stoush during the past week underlines the importance of Labour indicating that it will not go into coalition with NZ First after the next election.
Luxon is toast
Any time a political leader has to put their position to a vote, they become a dead pigeon. David Lange knew winning the vote didn’t end the matter.
Greens’ State Of The Planet Calls For National Electrification Plan
“The plan would electrify homes, transport and industry, ending New Zealand’s dependence on unpredictable global fossil fuel markets, cutting household power bills, and building real energy security at home.”
I could be completely wrong, but…
My hunch is that Luxon stands down as Prime Minister, to be replaced by Mark Mitchell.
Changing government in 2026
We need to stop slagging off the people who have the only chance of forming a centre left government this year.
Tick tock …
National is leaking like a sieve. Either a coup is under way or a group of disgruntled MPs are busily attempting to destabilise Luxon’s leadership. Either way this is not good for National.
National’s incredulous plan for challenging times
An ideological reflex to an economic challenge has severe limitations by design.
A change of government this close or this far away…
reasons to feel hopeful but not complacent.
Is the Government’s $50 a week a vote winner?
The Government’s targeted fuel support is pork-barrelling.
Don’t fight the last war
Hannah Spencer’s stunning win for the Greens in the the UK’s Gorton and Denton by-election has some lessons for political strategists here as well.
Game on: Labour and the Greens speak to media from Waitangi
Chris Hipkins, Marama Davidson, and Chloe Swarbrick speak on unity, working together while being separate partners, and the upcoming election.
What does Labour do about Winston?
Current polling suggests that we may witness something that has not happened before, a one term National Government. But this may mean Labour making a deal with Winston Peters. What should Labour do?
The rise of Winston follows the rise of Pauline Hansen and Nigel Farage
Ten months to go and there is no political party currently countering the sustained rise of New Zealand First.
Management speech mumbo jumbo
Christopher Luxon’s latest State of the Nation speech suggests that over summer he has been spending more on his Spotify summer list than he should have.
Flooding the zone with Trump trumps Godwin’s law
When intensely watching the orange orangutan in the White House we miss the invisible gorilla in the oval room.
Some random predictions for 2026 …
What will election year 2026 bring to Aotearoa?
Happy New Year from The Standard
Happy New Year to all the readers, commenters, and fellow authors/mods at The Standard
Advantage’s 2026 predictions
Advantage gets out the crystal ball and postilated what may happen next year.
Holy feck
The last poll of the political year and it is a doozie. Labour is 8 points ahead of National.
It’s Changed Too Much For The Nostalgia Cure
If Labour wins government in 2026, many things won’t be recoverable.
Why the next election will not be easy for Labour
This may be a one term National Government. But electoral law reform, the state of Labour’s coalition partners, a possible economic upturn and a change in National’s leader threaten this.
Labour Gets Ready To Win Election 2026
Labour has recovered from the 26.9% vote share hiding it received in 2023, and is ready to run government again.
Is that it?
Labour’s Capital Gains Tax has been released in less than an optimal manner. And the policy is more modest than some would have liked.
National Crashes in latest poll
National crashing into the 20s in the latest Couria Poll must have increased dramatically the prospects of Christopher Luxon being deposed as Prime Minister.
The Government wants to cheat the next election result
Christopher Luxon is sticking to his lines that the proposed changes to the Electoral Law will speed up the result even though this will disenfranchise an estimated 55,000 kiwis and even though the Chief Electoral Officer has said that if properly resourced the changes will make no difference.
So, New Zealand First Then?
In 2026 New Zealand First in all likelihood will be back in power because Labour and National will need them to form government.
Jones accuses Luxon of hiding
Shane Jones has publicly attacked Prime Minister Christopher Luxon by accusing him of hiding. The chances of a snap election have just shot up.
Why Changing the Government Should Be Enough
Outrage is easy. Outrage feels righteous. But outrage without discipline destroys the very people it claims to save.
If we want transformation that endures, we must build it brick by brick. Or watch it burn, again.
It Is Not Enough Only to Change the Government
Everyone on the left can agree that we must change the government. Elliot Crossan argues that if Labour wins in 2026 and refuses […]
Fight Like You Mean It: Why Message Discipline Matters
Screaming on social media about how weak Chris Hipkins is as Labour leader may make us feel good. But It also won’t do much do push back against the Coalition of Cockups. So, what if instead of searching fruitlessly for ideological purity, we put our energy and effort into winning instead?